Gabriel thought they could be talking about Bathsheba，except that the woman they were discussing seemed to be the mistress of a farm. As the cart was now quite near Weather－bury，Gabriel jumped out，unseen by the two men. He climbed a gate into a field，intending to sleep for the rest of the night under a hay－rick，but then he noticed an unusual light in the darkness，about half a mile away. Something was on fire.

He hurried across the fields towards the fire. Soon，in the rich orange light of the flames，he could see a hay－rick burning fiercely. It was too late to save the rick，so for a few minutes he stood and stared at the flames. But when the smoke cleared for a moment，he was horrified to see，very close to the burn－ing rick，a whole row of wheat－ricks. These probably con－tained most of the wheat produced on the farm that year，and could catch fire at any moment.

As he rushed towards the wheat－rick that was most in dan-ger，he saw he was not alone. A crowd of farm workers had seen the fire and run into the field to help save the wheat，but they were so confused they did not know what to do. Gabriel took control and gave orders.

‘Get a large cloth！’he shouted. ‘Put it over the wheat－rick，so the wind can't blow the flames from the hay－rick on to it！Now，you，stand here with a bucket of water and keep the cloth wet！’The men hurried to obey him. The flames，prevented from burning the bottom and sides of the wheat-32 rick，began to attack its roof.

‘Get me a ladder！’cried Gabriel. ‘And a branch，and some water！’He climbed up the wheat－rick and sat on the top，beating down the flames with the branch. Billy Smallbury，one of the men who had been in the cart，climbed up with a bucket of water， to throw water on Gabriel and keep the flames off him. The smoke was at its thickest at this corner of the rick， but Gabriel never stopped his work.

On the ground the villagers were doing what they could to stop the fire，which was not much. A little further away was a young woman who had just arrived on her horse，witn her maid on foot. They were watching the fire and discussing Gabriel.

‘He's a fine young man，ma'am，’said Liddy，the maid. ‘And look at his clothes！They're all burnt！’

“小姐，他真是个了不起的年轻人，”女仆利蒂说。“看他的衣服！全都烧了！”

‘Who does he work for？’asked the woman in a clear voice.

“他为谁做事？”女人用清晰的嗓音问。

‘I don't know，ma'am，nor do the others. He's a stranger. ’

“我不知道，小姐，其他人也不知道。他没来过这儿。”

‘Jan Coggan！’called the woman to one of her workers. ‘Do you think the wheat is safe now？’

“简·考根！”女人向她的一个工人喊道。”麦子现在没有危险了吗？”

‘I think so，yes，ma'am，’he answered. ‘If the fire had spread to this wheat－rick，all the other ricks would have caught fire too. That brave young man up there on top of the rick is the one who's saved your wheat. ’

“我想没有危险了，小姐，”他答道。“如果火烧到这个麦垛，所有其它麦垛也都会着火的。垛顶上那位勇敢的年轻人就是救了你的麦子的人。”

‘He does work hard，’said the young woman，looking up at Gabriel, who had not noticed her. ‘I wish he worked for me. ’

“他确实很卖力，”年轻姑娘抬头看着盖伯瑞尔说道，他却没注意到她。“我真希望他是我的雇工。”

As the ricks were no longer in danger， Gabriel started to climb down，and at the bottom he met the maid.

麦垛没有什么危险了，盖伯瑞尔爬了下来，在下面他遇到了女仆。

‘I have a message from the farmer，who wishes to thank you for all you've done，’she said.

“我带来了农场主的口信，农场主想为你所做的一切感谢你，”她说。

‘Where is he？’asked Gabriel，suddenly aware of the chance of getting some work.

“他在哪儿？”盖伯瑞尔问，突然意识到这是一个找些活干的机会。

‘It isn't a he，it's a she，’answered the girl.

“不是他，是她，”姑娘答道。

‘A woman farmer？’asked Gabriel.

“女农场主？”盖伯瑞尔问。

‘Yes，and a rich one too！’said a villager who was standing near. ‘She inherited her uncle's farm，when he died suddenly. She has business in every bank in Casterbridge！’

“是的，而且还是个富有的农场主！”站在附近的一个村民说。“她的叔叔去世后，她继承了他的农场。她与卡斯特桥的每家银行都有来往！”

‘She's over there，wrapped in a cloak，on her horse，’added the maid. In the darkness Gabriel could only see the shape of a woman sitting on a horse. He walked over to her. Although his face was black from the smoke and his clothes were burnt by the fire，he remembered to lift his hat politely，and asked, looking up at her，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am？’She let her cloak fall back from her head in surprise. Gabriel and his cold-hearted darling，Bathsheba Everdene，stared at each other. She did not speak. He only repeated sadly，‘Do you want a shepherd，ma'am？’

Bathsheba turned away into the shadows to consider. She was a little sorry for him， but also glad that she had improved her position since they last met. She realized she had almost forgotten his offer of marriage on Norcombe Hill.

‘Yes，’she answered quietly，blushing a little，‘I do want a shepherd. But—’

“需要，”她平静地回答，脸有点红，“我的确需要一个牧羊人。只是——”

‘He's just the right man，ma'am，’said one of the villagers.

“小姐，他很合适.”一个村民说。

‘That's right！’said a second，and a third.

“一点不错！”第二个村民、第三个村民说。

‘Then will you men tell him to speak to the farm manager？’said Bathsheba in a businesslike way，as she rode off.

“那你们告诉他去和农场经理说一声，好吗？”芭丝谢芭一边骑马离开，一边以一种公事公办的口气说。

Gabriel soon arranged the details of his employment with Bathsheba's farm manager，Benjy Pennyways，and walked on to the village to find a place to live. As he walked，he thought of Bathsheba. How quickly the young girl he remembered had become the capable mistress of a farm！

When he passed the churchyard，and the ancient trees around it，he noticed that someone was standing behind one of the trees.

在经过教堂及教堂周围的古树时，他注意到有个人站在一棵树后。

‘Is this the right way to Weatherbury？’asked Gabriel.

“这是去威瑟伯里的路吗？”他问。

‘Oh yes，straight on，’said a girl's voice，low and sweet. After a pause she added，‘You're not a Weatherbury man？’

“噢，是的，一直往前走，”一个姑娘的声音，声音虽然低但甜美。停了一下她又说，“你不是威瑟伯里人？”

‘No，I'm the new shepherd，just arrived. ’

“不是，我是新来的牧羊人，刚到这里。”

‘Only a shepherd！You seem almost like a farmer to me. ’

“不过是个牧羊人！我觉得你差不多像个农场主。”

‘Only a shepherd，’repeated Gabriel in a dull voice，think－ing of the disaster that had destroyed his hopes of being a farmer.

“不过是个牧羊人，”盖伯瑞尔闷声闷气地重复着，想到了那场灾难，那场灾难破灭了他想成为农场主的希望。

‘Please don't tell anyone in the village that you've seen me，’begged the girl. ‘I'm rather poor，and I don't want anyone to know about me. ’ Her thin arms trembled in the cold.

“请你千万别对村里的任何人说看见了我，”姑娘哀求说。“我很穷，我不想让人们知道我的事。”她的瘦弱的胳膊由于天冷而颤抖着。

‘I won't tell anyone，’said Gabriel，‘but you ought to be wearing a cloak on a night like this. ’

“我谁也不告诉，”盖伯瑞尔说，“你在这样的晚上应该穿一件斗篷。”

‘Oh，it doesn't matter. Please go on and leave me. ’

“噢，没关系。请你继续赶路吧，你走吧。”

He hesitated ‘Perhaps you'd accept this. It's not much，but it's all I have to spare. ’He put a coin into her small hand，and as he touched her wrist he noticed how quickly the blood was beating. It was the same quick，hard beat that he felt in his lambs when they were close to death.